“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 59:9
In a world full of noise and distraction, prophetic prayer is a powerful way to quiet ourselves and listen — really listen — to what God is saying. It is not just about bringing our own concerns before God, but making space to hear His heart, His thoughts and His ways. At its core, prophetic prayer is an invitation for heaven to touch earth through our obedience and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.
What is prophetic prayer?
Prophetic prayer can be described as a prompting or urging from the Holy Spirit to intercede for a person, situation or place — often with little or no prior knowledge in the natural. It’s not about praying from our own understanding, but tuning in to what’s on God’s heart. When we do this, we become vessels through which His will can be released on earth.
Simply put, God nudges us to pray so that He can intervene. It’s a beautiful divine partnership, where our prayers begin to align with His purposes, and heaven’s agenda is released in the here and now. It’s an active, responsive relationship with God. We wait on Him, we listen, and then we respond — whether through prayer, declarations, or specific actions. This can bring about powerful breakthroughs.
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A few years back, my sister (who isn’t a Christian) asked me to pray that her boys would get into a particular school in the new town she was moving to. She was pretty stressed because none of the schools had places for both of them.
I asked her to tell me what the options were and, as she listed the schools, I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me about one of them — it wasn’t the one she had in mind. I said, “I really feel like this is the school God wants your boys to go to. Shall I pray for that instead?”
Sure enough, within a week, something shifted. That school suddenly had space for both her sons. Through that experience, my sister came to see that our God is real: He speaks, He leads and He answers prayer.
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Throughout Scripture, we see great examples of prophetic prayer in action:
- Joshua received specific instructions from God and followed them in obedience, leading to the miraculous fall of Jericho’s walls. (Joshua 6:1–20)
- Ezekiel was commanded to speak to dry bones, and as he obeyed, breath entered them and they became a living army. (Ezekiel 37:1–14)
- Nehemiah was led by God with a detailed plan to rebuild the once-broken walls of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 2:11–20)
- Daniel turned to God in prayer and fasting after reading Jeremiah’s prophecy and realising that Israel’s 70 years of captivity were complete. This resulted in the restoration of his people. (Daniel 9)
These stories demonstrate how listening to God and responding through prayer and action can lead to divine transformation.
Activation Idea
To step into prophetic prayer, start by choosing someone: maybe a friend, family member or colleague. Ask God what He wants to say about them. What’s on His heart for that person? It might be a word of encouragement, a vision, a promise or a strategy for prayer.
Write it down and pray it over them. Maybe ask again, “Lord, is there anything else?” Finally, ask God if there’s something He wants you to share with that person. Always remember: God’s words bring life, encouragement and hope.
Prophetic prayer isn’t reserved for the spiritually elite — it’s for every believer who is willing to pause, listen and respond. When we align our hearts with His, we become instruments of His love, His power and His purpose.
So, let’s create space to listen. Because when God speaks…everything changes.
Much love,
Carole Wilthew and the eFocus team